


Cuffed

by AngelaFaye11



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Drunken Confessions, Drunken Flirting, F/M, Handcuffed Together, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:22:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23798386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelaFaye11/pseuds/AngelaFaye11
Summary: After a night out for Malcolm's birthday, things do not go as Dani had originally planned.
Relationships: Malcolm Bright/Dani Powell
Comments: 45
Kudos: 174





	Cuffed

“Make sure he gets home in one piece,” Gil smiled, nudging Malcolm in Dani’s direction. 

The profiler stumbled, giggled, then proceeded to plead his case, “No. Hey, I can get home on my own guys. No worries. I’m totally fine, 100%.”

Gil chuckled, “Sure you are, kid.” He shifted his gaze to Dani and tilted his head toward the door. 

“Why me?” Truth be told she wasn’t exactly sober herself, although nowhere near Bright’s condition. “I took him home the last two times he was drunk and/or high.” 

The Lieutenant crossed his arms, “Of the two of us, who planned this post-work-day celebration?  _ And _ who bought him four birthday shots?”

She smiled, then sighed, “fine.” 

* * *

Dani spent the entire train ride apologizing for Malcolm’s inability to just leave people be. He asked them question after question. What book are you reading? Did that tattoo hurt? Once he’d actually pulled an earbud out of a man’s ear to ask him what he was listening to. 

“Bright, just stand still and leave people alone!” She whisper-yelled. 

“But meeting new people is fun!” he countered as she looked to the heavens for patience. 

Once they were above ground, Dani thought for sure he would be easier to handle. The walk from the station to his apartment was less than three blocks. By the end of the first block he had already tried to change directions four times. At one point he had almost darted out into traffic because he thought he saw a penny. 

“A penny?! Do you seriously need a penny, Mr. Trust Fund?” she gasped, having just pulled him from oncoming traffic. 

“They’re good luck,” he replied. 

“That’s it!” Dani grabbed his right hand, pulled her handcuffs out from behind her back, and wrapped one of them around his wrist. Then she secured the other cuff to her left wrist. 

Malcolm looked down at the shackles and back up at her in shock. 

“Well, maybe now I can keep you from jumping into traffic over a damn quarter.” 

“It was a penny.” 

She glared at him, “Can we just get back to your apartment in one piece please?” 

Despite his newfound leash, Malcolm was still as cheery as ever. “Do you know why we consider a heads-up penny good luck? It all stems from…” 

Dani couldn’t help but grin as he proceeded to spend the remaining two blocks explaining the origin of the belief. It always cracked her up how his enthusiasm was never forced. He was actually  _ that _ excited to be talking about this. 

When they got to his building she pulled him over by the door. “Okay, I’m going to uncuff you. If you so much as act like you’re going anywhere but inside this door, I swear I will tackle you on the concrete, suit and all. Got it?” 

Malcolm saluted her, “Got it.” 

She pulled out the key. As she grabbed Malcolm’s hand to release him, someone exited the building. The door swung out and hit her arm, knocking the key out of her hand. The tiny silver piece of metal bounced once, and fell down the subway grate in the sidewalk.

Both of them stared at the grate in disbelief. Malcolm slowly turned his head toward her, his eyes wide, doing everything he could to keep himself from busting out laughing. 

“No way did that just happen,” She looked up at him. 

“Pfftt,” His laughter escaped in small bits at first, before he just completely lost it all together.

Dani scowled at him, “This isn't’ funny, Bright. These aren’t toy cuffs, you need a specific type of key to open them.” 

“Oh.” Malcolm was still giggling, despite the situation. “Just call Gil.” 

“And tell him this? Are you serious?” 

“Well JT’s on vacation so we can’t call him,” he replied. 

Dani racked her brain for a solution.

“Let’s go up to my apartment at least,” he suggested. 

She agreed and they made their way up the stairs and into his loft. By the time Malcolm shut the door, Dani had already resigned herself to having to call Gil, as embarrassing as it was. 

The two of them made their way to the island and sat down as she explained the situation to their boss, who, much to her chagrin, was in absolute stitches. Once he could finally talk clearly, Gil answered her plea “It’s two in the morning Dani. You’re a ten minute walk from the precinct. Go get a key.” 

“We can’t walk in there like this! We’ll never live it down.” 

He started laughing again, “I know. Listen, I’ll happily bring you my key in the morning on my way to work. But those are your options. Text me if I need to swing by Bright’s in the morning.” 

As Dani ended the call she could hear Gil chuckling again. 

“What did he say?” Malcolm asked. 

“I’m gonna need a drink,” she replied.

* * *

Two drinks later, the two of them were facing each other on Malcolm’s couch, their cuffed arms resting on the back, hands inches apart. Dani’s phone was between them on the cushion. She tapped it and a new topic appeared. “Irrational fears” she read, quickly glancing up at him. “We can skip this one if it’s weird for you.”

“Over this?” he shook his head, unfazed, “Besides we already said no skipping questions. Um, okay. I’ve lived in the city most of my life, and I still speed walk through scaffolding that covers the sidewalks.” 

“Why? Because you think they’ll fall on you?”

“Yes! Do you have any idea how unstable that stuff can be?” 

Dani pictured him mall-walking through scaffolding, and laughed. 

“Your turn.” 

“So, before I go to bed, I visually check all four corners of the ceiling to make sure there aren't any spiders.” 

“Really?” Malcolm wasn’t laughing, he was actually intrigued. “Why?” 

“Because when I was little I heard that myth about ‘the average person eats three spiders a year from sleeping with their mouth open’. And I guess I just assumed that happened because they were on the ceiling and would lower themselves right down into your mouth.” After saying it out loud she couldn’t help but feel childish. 

“Like kamikaze style?” Malcolm chuckled. 

Another laugh burst from her, “Yeah apparently.”

“That’s amazing.”

Malcolm pondered the idea for a moment before he tapped the screen this time. “Compliment another player.” He looked up at her with a grin, and jokingly rested his chin on his hand awaiting the flattery. 

“That’s it. Game’s over,” she shrugged, “there’s nothing I could possibly compliment you for.” 

This time Malcolm rolled his eyes. 

“Give me a second. I’m going to have to dig deep for this.” Dani took a long breath and sighed dramatically and he raised one eyebrow. 

“Is it truly so difficult?”

“It  _ is _ a struggle,” she nodded. “Okay. You are one of the most genuinely selfless people I’ve ever met.” 

Malcolm’s playfulness disappeared. Dani could tell he was touched by her answer, “Seriously?”

“Yeah. I mean you’re reckless sometimes and impulsive as hell, but whenever those qualities come out it’s always because you’re concerned about other people. I’ve never seen you put yourself before someone else.” 

“Thank you.”

Malcolm thought for a moment. 

“See it’s harder than you think isn’t it?” 

His affiliative smile immediately told her that it wasn’t, indeed, hard for him at all. “You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. You manage to walk the line between badass cop and compassionate friend with ease. Aside from Gil, I can’t think of anyone else I’d trust more to have my back.” 

Dani inhaled the breath she didn’t realize she’d forgotten to take, “Wow.” The two of them sat in silence for a moment. It wasn’t awkward, but it was unfamiliarly candid territory. “Did we just have a moment?” she asked jokingly.

“I think we did,” Malcolm faked stunned confusion.

* * *

Half an hour later Dani had learned that Malcolm’s favorite color was the blue that falls between royal and navy, he couldn’t keep a fish alive if his life depended on it, the smell of cigarette smoke made him incredibly nauseous, and, unsurprisingly, his biggest regret in life was that he didn’t figure his father out and turn him in sooner. 

They’d both stopped drinking after their last glasses were finished, but the buzz was far from wearing off. They originally started the game to help them stay awake through the night, neither of them daring to suggest that they simply lay in Malcolm’s bed like adults and sleep platonically. However, to their surprise, it had actually turned out to be pretty entertaining learning random things about the other. 

Malcolm tapped the screen again and leaned over to read it, “Oh.”

“Oh?” Dani asked, shifting her leg beneath her.

Malcolm didn’t make eye contact when he spoke, “Now may be a good time to stop.”

“Um, if that’s your reaction we are  _ so _ not stopping.”

He still didn’t look her in the eyes, “We can just skip this question then.” He reached down about to tap the screen. Dani caught his hand before he hit it.

“Hey we said absolutely no skipping questions!”

He glanced at her quickly, “Are you sure about that?

“Yes! Come on, Bright. How bad could it be?” 

“We’re certainly going to find out,” he mumbled. Malcolm cleared his throat, “Have you ever thought about another player in a sexual manner?” He slowly moved his eyes from the phone on the cushion up to Dani’s face, awaiting her answer. 

Her eyes were wide, she knew it, but she couldn’t fix them. “What?” Her mouth went instantly dry. 

Malcolm looked her directly in the eyes, repeating the topic without looking at the phone, “Have you ever thought about another player in a sexual manner?” 

Dani swallowed. The heat of a blush ran up her neck to her face. “Um,” She was hyper aware of how close their cuffed hands were on the back of the couch. The longer she waited to answer, the more guilty she looked. Finally, Dani shifted her gaze to the hand resting in her lap, and bit her cheek as she murmured, “yes.” 

When she risked a glance up at him, Malcolm’s eyebrows were raised in genuine shock. “Really?”

Dani hid her face behind her free hand, “Yes,” and slowly uncovered her eyes to see his reaction. He was trying, unsuccessfully, to hide his smirk. At least he wasn’t outright gloating. 

She quickly shifted the pressure to him, “Have you?” 

His smirk faded away; again Malcolm seemed to be wrestling with his answer. His deliberation only lasted a few seconds, though, before he looked her in the eyes and responded. “Yes, I have.”

The confidence with which Malcolm delivered his answer stirred something in Dani. Emboldened by that feeling, and before her brain could tell her mouth to filter, Dani added, “Like what?” 

He huffed a surprised laugh, “So this is an extended response now?” Dani bit her lip and shrugged. Malcolm’s eyes lingered on the lip caught in her teeth and he licked his own in response. 

Dani was fully aware that this conversation wouldn’t be happening if the two of them weren’t tipsy. Malcolm wanted reassurances, “You know any question I answer, you’re answering too.” 

She nodded, “Fair,” as her pulse quickened. 

“Okay,” he used his free hand to loosen his tie and undo the top button of his shirt, “What do you want to know?” 

Without hesitation, Dani blurted out, “Are you attracted to me?”

Malcolm looked at her as though she were an idiot. Clearly this wasn’t the question he had anticipated, “Of course I am. Look at you. You’re a very beautiful woman, Dani.”

Again her face flushed. She had definitely not expected him to be so unashamedly forthright. Malcolm had never shown any inclination of being interested in her before and now he was openly telling her how beautiful she was. 

“Are you attracted to me?” he echoed, suddenly looking vulnerable. 

She smiled and bit her cheek again, “Yeah.” His responding grin warmed her heart. He had been legitimately worried about her answer. Somehow his lack of confidence in that moment was equally as appealing as his previous certainty.

Malcolm added to her inquiry, “More than physically?” 

This question was far more intimate than the previous one, Dani felt an anxious knot form in her stomach. Malcolm was staring at her intently profiling her mannerisms; this question meant more to him, as well it should. 

“Yes.”

He immediately responded, “Me too.”

She continued, “Have you ever wanted to kiss me? In an actual moment, not just wondered what it would be like.” 

Malcolm nodded slowly.

“Why didn’t you?” 

“Honestly?”

“I’ve been running on the assumption that honesty was a requirement this entire time. Was it not?” she joked. 

He took a breath, “I didn’t because, I assumed you didn’t reciprocate my attraction. I’ve met me, I know I’m… different than most.” After a brief silence, Malcolm’s demeanor shifted from the somber tone of his answer to mischievous. “Have you ever had a dream about us?” 

“Like ‘a dream’,” she nonchalantly gestured with her free hand, “or ‘A DREAM’?” The innuendo was obvious. 

“The second, one, obviously” he clarified. 

Dani bit her lip and shifted in her seat, clearly giving away the answer. 

“Oh really?” This time Malcolm was definitely gloating. “How was it?” 

She looked up at him through her eyelashes, “It was... hot,” she admitted. Malcolm was less playful with this response. His eyes had darkened at the thought of what had happened in her dream. 

Dani decided that Malcolm needed a taste of his own medicine, “Have you ever been,” she tried to think of which word to use, “aroused when we were together?” 

This time Malcolm was the one shifting in his seat. Dani tilted her head and raised her eyebrows, proud she had gotten the upper hand.

“I’m assuming you mean other than this moment.” 

Dani’s eyes involuntarily shifted below his torso, before she could catch herself. All hope that Malcolm had missed it was lost when she noticed the smirk had returned. “Yes,” he admitted. 

“When?” 

“More than once. The first time was when I was high and you brought me home. I told you ‘the business was good’.” They both nervously laughed. “That dress,” he added, no further explanation necessary. “Other times here and there. You?” 

“Bright, you show up to work every day in tailored suits that fit you perfectly. That is walking porn to a woman.” Again they briefly laughed, but the intensity of the conversation took over quickly. One of the fingers on Malcolm’s restrained hand inched toward hers. When it finally touched her, that seemingly insignificant contact caused the knot in her stomach to tighten. 

He ran the finger up and down hers. Malcolm opened his mouth to speak twice, nothing. He couldn’t stop his eyes from drifting over to his bed across the room. The tension between them was palpable, the air seemed to thicken, making it difficult for her to breathe. She could feel her pulse all over her body, especially the inch and a half of her finger that he was still brushing with his. Somehow that tiny fraction of skin was directly connected to her core. The contact was driving her crazy. She inhaled a shaky breath, trying to get a hold of herself. 

Malcolm noticed and finally found his voice, “Okay, Dani. I am rapidly losing the will power to keep myself on this side of the couch. So if you have any reservations about that happening, I need you to voice them right now.” 

Dani was practically shaking with anticipation as she sat silently. 

Malcolm managed to give her a full five seconds to protest before he lunged toward her and pulled her lips to his. The kiss sent a ball of fire through Dani. Both of them were already on edge, the hour of unintentional foreplay had set the stage impressively. Malcolm instinctively brought his cuffed hand up to her face, pulling her hand with it. His free hand roamed her waist, her back, her chest, each new place sending a charge directly to her center. When he pushed her back onto the couch, and she felt his body pressing against hers, the desire that surged through her was like nothing she had ever felt before. When he shifted and she felt him grinding between her legs, her eyes fluttered at the sensation. 

She immediately reached for his belt, his cuffed hand following hers, undoing her buttons simultaneously. With their bottoms removed, Malcolm grabbed Dani’s waist and pulled her toward him, flat on the couch. He kissed her far more aggressively than before, the pent up tension of the evening begging to be released. As his lips found the base of her neck he pushed forward into her. Dani’s back arched involuntarily and she gasped. 

“Fuck, Dani,” Malcolm spoke the words into her shoulder as he started to move. She moaned in response. Her free hand wrapped around him, gripping his back. Every time he moved, Dani couldn’t help but make a sound. Sometimes it was a sigh, others a gasp. Everywhere he touched, everywhere he kissed, every thrust intensified the craving. Malcolm wrapped his free arm under her, pulling her up to meet his motions. Dani lost the ability for coherent thought completely. All that mattered was that Malcolm continued doing exactly what he was doing. 

She was so close she was shaking. “Please. Malcolm, don’t stop,” she begged. He looked up at her, watched her as he continued. She knew he wanted to see her face as he brought her to climax. The thought was so carnal that it sent her over the edge. Wave after wave of pleasure pulsed through her. When she opened her eyes, the look in Malcolm’s practically finished her again. Unbridled desire. His movements were more forceful, more erratic. Dani now understood why he wanted to watch her. She had never seen anything more erotic. His intensity as he finished, the noise that escaped him when he did, it was like nothing she had ever experienced before.

They lay there for a moment, spent. Then Malcolm kissed Dani and flipped them so that his weight wasn’t on her. She fell asleep on his chest, happier than she had been in a very long time. 

* * *

The next morning, Dani still lay on Malcolm’s chest, a blanket covering their bottom halves. 

She squinted her eyes, her hangover hit her like a freight train. Everything was too bright. Her head was pounding and it was hard to see. Something had woken her up. Malcolm was still fast asleep. She checked his watch. They were late for work. 

“Shit. Malcolm, wake up. We’re late.” 

“What?” he replied, groggy and clearly also hungover. 

Dani sat up, and immediately froze. 

Gil was seated at the island, a Starbucks cup in his hand. Two others, presumably for each of them, sat in a holder next to him. 

“So, how was your night?” Gil asked, sipping his coffee. 

Still hidden by the back of the couch, Malcolm simply lifted his free arm, giving Gil a thumbs up. Dani smacked his arm and covered her face, mortified. Malcolm and Gil both busted out laughing. 

Gil sat the key to the handcuffs down on the counter and headed toward the door, “Happy birthday, kid,” he chuckled and shut the door behind him.


End file.
